On the Edge: The Microsoft Surface Digital Stylus Pen

Microsoft has come forward with its announcement about a Microsoft Surface tablet within the last few weeks. According to the Windows company, the tablet will “surface” on the tech market this fall and will offer both Windows RT and Windows Pro versions (Windows 8 software). The Windows RT offers 32 and 64GB of memory storage, while the Windows 8 Pro offers 64GB and 128GB of memory storage. Microsoft’s digital stylus pen provides users the opportunity to protect their screens from fingerprints and smears as well as a writing tool for their touchscreens. Those who purchase a digital stylus pen will enjoy the way it feels on their Google search engine should they activate Google Handwrite.

While the digital stylus pen is a nice accessories to electronic tablets, however, the Windows RT version will not come with a stylus pen but will have Office 2013 pre-installed. You can still use the stylus pen with Windows RT, but it will not have the same “feel” to it that the Windows 8 Pro will have. The Windows 8 Pro version, according to Microsoft, includes what is known as “palm-block technology.” Palm-block technology prevents the device from moving while you hold it in your hands or on a desk or table. Palm-block eases the writing process by preventing your hand from shifting the stylus—which could potentially throw off your writing on the tablet.

The downside to the Windows 8 Pro version is that, although it is compatible with the digital stylus (the stylus was created for the Windows 8 version), it will not come with Office 2013. You may find yourself choosing between the two models, and the Windows 8 Pro version may be your best choice—if you want to have a digital stylus pen with palm-block technology. It seems that, with these two tablet versions, Microsoft wants to distinguish between the average consumer and the professional. Even if you are not a professional or corporate businessman or businesswoman, the Windows 8 Pro is still a marvelous investment.

How Does the Microsoft Surface Digital Stylus Pen Work?

Microsoft’s Digital Stylus pen works the same as most digital stylus pens. According to the Microsoft Stylus Pen Patent, the pen comes with an internal light source and light guide that allows writing or touch to penetrate a screen display. While the light projects the digital ink onto the screen, it could not do so unless an extra sensor layer tracks the movement of the pen on the screen. This movement tracking (involving sensors) happens by way of a camera planted inside the stylus. Via wireless connection, the camera transmits signals to the sensor layer.

The camera inside the stylus pen is what sets Microsoft’s digital stylus apart from other stylus pens. There are many stylus pens on the tech market that work for electronic tablets such as the iPad; however, the Microsoft digital stylus pen provides an extra layer of sensors needed to use the pen on regular screens. The pen will operate on both touchscreens and non-touchscreens. You can use a Microsoft digital stylus pen to write on HDTV and laptop screens! More of the same technology will create more opportunities for innovation in the tech market and continue to blur the lines between distinctive technologies (such as touchscreens and non-touchscreens).

To simplify matters somewhat, think of the relationship between the stylus pen and Microsoft Surface Tablet as a rock to a pond. When you throw a rock in a pond, you notice that the rock makes a “thump” sound in the water (and a ripple) followed by several other ripples that extend from the place where the rock hit the water. As the ripples extend further out, they grow in size. As the ripples extend, the impact (not the rock) is what causes the extra ripples. It is the same with the Microsoft Surface Digital Stylus Pen: when the light source meets the transmitter (one ripple), it is sent to the photo array (another ripple), which extends it further out until the light reaches the tip of the pen (third ripple), passes through the device screen (fourth ripple), and onto the device you write on or touch (the final ripple).

The Microsoft Surface Digital Stylus Pen is groundbreaking and the company’s vision will lead the way into the future. If you want to be a part of technology’s changing direction, prepare yourself to purchase a Microsoft Surface tablet this coming October 26, 2012.

Deidre R. is a lover of all things tech who just discovered her passion for technology six months ago. A writer for the tech company Accessory Genie in Los Angeles, CA, Deidre is a tech writer by night and a doctoral student in theology by day. She currently writes for gplusforums.org and iphone5forums.org as well as ijailbreak4s.com, ijailbreak3gs.com, iunlock4s.com, and fortheipad.com.